Smart Bike Lights (Data Field) / Bike Lights Control (Widget)

I've made two open source CIQ applications to control ANT+ lights:

- Smart Bike Lights (data field): https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/0d9fd828-c932-4470-9c37-fd2828881888

Configurator: https://maca88.github.io/SmartBikeLights/

- Bike Lights Control (widget): https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/fa3c2332-76e3-4ba1-8528-32a0fd617ab1

Configurator: https://maca88.github.io/BikeLightsControl/

Smart Bike Lights features:
- Automatic light control (Smart mode) based on the configured filters (sunset, sunlight, speed, ...)
- Manual light control (only for Edge devices with a touch screen or devices with CIQ 3.2 and more than 32KB memory)
- Records lights modes that are displayed in Garmin Connect

Bike Lights Control features:
- Manual light control (available to all devices)

Both applications can be installed on the same device, which can be useful for low end devices (e.g. Edge 520) where "Bike Lights Control" can be used to change light modes manually and "Smart Bike Lights" for automatic light control.

Currently registered ANT+ lights:
- Bontrager Ion Pro RT
- Bontrager Ion 200 RT
- Bontrager Flare RT
- Garmin Varia RTL500
- Garmin Varia RTL510
- Garmin Varia RTL515
- Garmin Varia HL500
- Garmin Varia UT800

in case your ANT+ light is not on the list you can help by doing the following:

1. Install Bike Lights Control
2. Pair your bike light with your Garmin device
3. Open the widget:
- Edge with a touch screen: post which numbers are displayed on the buttons and what mode each button represents when pressed
- Other devices: Select the "Light modes" menu and post which numbers are displayed in the menu and what mode each menu item represents when selected

Example for Bontrager Ion Pro RT:

1 -> High steady beam
2 -> Medium steady beam
5 -> Low steady beam
63 -> Day flash
62 -> Night flash

There are some features that could be possible to add in the future, but would require Garmin to add them to the CIQ api. In case you are interested in any of the below features, consider upvoting their feature request thread:

1. Control lights based on the ambient light sensor available on some devices:
https://forums.garmin.com/developer/connect-iq/i/bug-reports/ambient-light-sensor-api-access

Top Replies

maca88 over 3 years ago in reply to oo0M0oo +4

Hi oo0M0oo,

This is the configuration for the desired behavior:

###0,73535488#2,2|RADAR:1:7:1I]-1]0|:1:0:1D=1##5,4:Varia 510|2,:-1,Off:0|1,Solid:4|1,Day Flash:7|1,Night Flash:6#B3122##3#0#0

but make sure…
maca88 over 3 years ago in reply to Prozorowicz +3

> Yes, I'd still rather have it as a widget

Ok, I will look into that and report when it will be published.

> using the Ion Pro lamp in auto mode and in parallel with your field does not remove…
maca88 over 3 years ago in reply to Prozorowicz +2

Prozorowicz said:
Add the ability to save several configuration files, one of which would of course be selectable for the currently used field

That is what I plan to do, but with such feature it will still…

All Replies

AlaJam over 2 years ago in reply to maca88

Do I enter these numbers into my Edge 1030 Plus by hand? Is there a way to copy / paste? Thanks very much for your effort. Speaking for myself, maybe for every bike rider on this forum, I would gladly pay $25.00 for your app / widget.

maca88 over 2 years ago in reply to AlaJam

AlaJam said:
Do I enter these numbers into my Edge 1030 Plus by hand?

If you mean the configuration, you can copy it by using your phone (by holding and dragging) and paste it in the Garmin Connect Mobile application settings "Lights Configuration" of either "Smart Bike Lights" or "Bike Lights Control". Alternatively, you can use Garmin Express on your PC by pasting the configuration in the "Lights Configuration" application settings.

Both "Smart Bike Lights" and "Bike Lights Control" are free and open sourced, I have no plan to change that.

maca88 over 2 years ago

Recently I modified the Lights Configurator for Smart Bike Lights by adding more question marks which contain explanations for settings that I thought would need it, added notes for some filters (e.g. acceleration) and added a wiki page that contains basic documentation with some examples: https://github.com/maca88/SmartBikeLights/wiki/Lights-Configurator

In case anyone would like to see the documentation for settings that are currently not documented or in case the current documentation is not clear enough, please let me know.

wflicht over 2 years ago

Great (imho the best) tool to manage your light network.
My lights are off by default.
My rear light flashes during the day when a car approaches from behind and lights up when I brake.
At sunset, my rear and front light are automatically switched-on and at sunrise switched-off.

QUESTION:
How can I check which version 'Smart Bike Lights' (15.1 or 15.2) is installed on my Garmin?
I recently uploaded 15.2 to my Garmin but can't find where a version no. is shown. So, I am not sure 15.2 is now installed and maybe I am still on 15.1. Please consider showing the version no. in Garmin Express where we set the settings for 'Smart Bike Lights'.

maca88 over 2 years ago in reply to wflicht

Hi,

wflicht said:
How can I check which version 'Smart Bike Lights' (15.1 or 15.2) is installed on my Garmin?

In Garmin Connect Mobile application you can see the version by going to "Activities, App / More" -> "Data Fields" -> "Smart Bike Lights" and then you should see the version below the app name:

In case you are using Garmin IQ Store, it will automatically update all data fields upon opening it, so your data fields will be always up to date.

KRoser over 2 years ago

Hello. Just wanted to thank you for all your work with this app. It is a game changer for my Varia Radar use.

I have simple configuration light turn off when see car light flash

###0,73535488:1,1225851520#2,2!CAR:1:7:1I]-1]0!:1:0:1D=1##5,4:Varia Radar!2,:-1,Off:0!1,Solid:4!1,Day Flash:7!1,Night Flash:6#0::#0:0#B3122##3#0#0

It is awesome works great.

I want to my confing add one thing. Light turn off when radar see any car light flashing when car paases then flash just 5 more seconds then turn light off.

Is that even posible to do?

Thank you so much for help

wflicht over 2 years ago in reply to maca88

Thanks for explaining.
I was not using Garmin Connect Mobile before but will do so to check the SBL version no. and update

maca88 over 2 years ago in reply to KRoser

Hi,

I am glad that you like the app.

KRoser said:
Light turn off when radar see any car light flashing

Currently there is no way to detect when a car light is flashing, Varia does not have an ambient light sensor to be able to detect it.

KRoser over 2 years ago in reply to maca88

Thank you so much for quick reply a bit misunderstanding because of my not so good english sorry about that.

This confing where light is turn off and when radar detects car "radars light" start flashing works great i wanted to say

I just wanted to add to my confing a little dwell when car pass then radar light keep flashing for another 5 seconds and then turn off if road is clear just for little more safety.

I canot figure out how to do that if it is even posible.

Thanks

maca88 over 2 years ago in reply to KRoser

KRoser said:
radar light keep flashing for another 5 seconds and then turn off if road is clear just for little more safety

You can only set the "minimum active time" for X seconds, which means that the light will flash for at least X seconds after a vehicle is detected. For example if X is ten seconds and the vehicle needs four seconds to pass you, the light will flash for another six seconds. This is the closest solution to what you want. Example configuration for 10 seconds:

###0,73535488:1,1225851520#2,2!CAR:1:7:10I]-1]0!:1:0:1D=1##5,4:Varia Radar!2,:-1,Off:0!1,Solid:4!1,Day Flash:7!1,Night Flash:6#0::#0:0#B3122##3#0#0